It's Like This

by Anne O'Gleadra

A brave and funny love story about the anxieties, insecurities, and heartaches that drive people apart and bring them back together, It’s Like This is the journey of Niles and Rylan, as they learn to communicate in the shadow of a life-changing illness. 

Niles and Rylan have been together a long time. They have great sex, they are deeply intimate, and Rylan never holds back on displaying his affection. As far as their family and friends are concerned, they’re an established couple, and yet, after three years of being “together”, Niles is still unsure if they’re actually in a relationship.

As their sexual intensity reaches a dangerous tipping point,  Niles must find the courage to articulate how he feels in order to try and keep the only thing he has ever wanted. Emotional and compelling, It’s Like This is a must-read for true romantics.

Genres: M M Romance, BDSM, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, Friends To Lovers, Gay

150 pages, Online Publication

First published January 31, 2006

About the author

Anne O'Gleadra is currently taking the most circuitous route through academia known to humanity. Thankfully, she gets to do so on majestic Vancouver Island, where she spends her time procrastinating, devouring podcasts, and telling her cat how cute she is.

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts on the official, published version
The free online version of It's Like This has been replaced with a revamped, officially published version. Congrats to Anne!

That being said, my WORST fangirl nightmare just came true. Personally, I think the rawness and freshness of the original were compromised by attempts at making these young lovers' beautifully natural dynamics more PC. Think: the introduction of formalized BDSM concepts such as discussing consent and safe words and, due to altered sentences here and there, transforming Niles more into that 'typical sub'. Add to that a dozen of 'good boy', 'dirty boy' and 'baby boy's (where the heck those suddenly came from and what their purpose is, IDK?) and you end up with your favorite book unexpectedly rocking a bunch of the cliché elements that so many M/M books out there are littered with already. But, yeah, since I feel like I'm parroting Jenna anyway, I should probably just refer to her spot-on review.
For the future, I sincerely hope that Anne will just trust that crazily rad and creative brain of hers and will shrug about what those on the sidelines deem appropriate. Me? I'm just going to swallow the lump in my throat and cherish the original version. Which is why my original rating is staying.:)

Review for the original version
Orbiting Jupiter and I, we will just have to agree to disagree.

She stresses that she’s really, really not a writer. And was mostly bewildered when she found out about the Goodreads popularity of her four completed stories: ‘It’s Like This’, ‘A Stage and A Bus’, ‘Blood Oranges’ and ‘Doorways and Windows’. It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t see herself as a writer though. As long as she keeps doing it! And that’s, uhm, exactly what she DIDN’T do!

You’ve been about the M/M romance block? You’re maybe getting a bit fed up with the same ol’, same ol’ tropes that are well-used in this genre? Well, you say, by now I could do without the homophobic parent to stir things up when the plot’s in danger of petering out. Or another shameless tearjerker of a coming out. And maybe stereotypical big bad alphas and vulnerable twinks get a bit much every now and then? Wow. Then you really want to take your telescope out and look up Jupiter in the starry night sky.

So imagine my luck when a friend pointed out ‘It’s Like This’ to me and it turned out to be one of those stories that simply struck a chord with me. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I adored everything about it and would reread it in a heartbeat (drop me a note if you’re in need of a buddy read partner in crime :) ). The casual, amusing writing style, the fact that it’s not only character-driven rather than plot-driven, but that Jupiter’s characters — mostly teen boys — are deliciously quirky and flawed instead of bland muscular heroes. The wonderfully natural banter and turn of events, that occasionally makes your heart swell or break, but never ever leaves you with the impression that the author is playing one melodramatic card or another.

Quite the opposite really… You will find these type of authors’ notes underneath the chapters: “Another chapter to the plot-less story…I feel like I’m just kind of writing episodes instead of a story, but that’s okay” and “The end. I think. Maybe. Um. Yeah. So. This chapter is why I procrastinated on this story for so very, very long. Have a weird feeling that people might hate me for it”. These cute-as-a-button confessions feel strangely intimate when reading, like you’re part of the wobbly, but fabulous ride. Although it’s probably easy for me to say so. I wasn’t torn between hope and fear when reading the WIP! And who cares if her work might not be flawless when it comes to things as typos (I probably don’t even notice half of them, the advantages of not being a native speaker), the pacing of the plot and these brief, easily ignored blurbs that absolutely don’t do her books justice? Once again, I’m flabbergasted by how fantastic freefic can be. How much better and more original than a lot of the published stuff that’s out there.

But then Jupiter disappeared. Vanished. Her last story was published in 2009 and after that no one heard from her again. Before long I echoed the questions others had asked before me. Would she still be orbiting Jupiter? Moved on to a new authors’ name? Turned her back on writing altogether? (the horror). I even sent her a desperate email and…promptly got a reply! She’d been slacking! She’d been busy with real life! She was just getting back the vibe again and was planning on writing another chapter for ‘Better Now’. Now if only she could remember her password for Adult Fan Fiction…

FISTBUMP!

Yup. So in a nutshell: Orbiting Jupiter writes adorable, hot and entertaining awesomesauce in book form that also happens to be FREE… and she’s resurfaced! Check back this month for an
INTERVIEW with Orbiting Jupiter, in which we discuss her disappearance, upcoming projects and why ‘How It Is Now’ only consists of one tiny winy chapter, heh! In the meantime, you do your homework, yeah? ;)

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm late to the party with "It's Like This." I've never read the unpolished, online version, so the polished, edited copy was my first taste of this story *gasp*. This book has been a top favorite of a lot of my most trusted reader friends FOREVER, and so I think my expectations were a bit too high. Was this book hot? HELL YEAH. Was it SUPER memorable and special? Not really, I'm afraid.

What I liked about this story was that it was focused on the characters and only the characters. There wasn't any outlandish plot with lots of unnecessary drama. The story centers squarely on Niles and Rylan and their evolving relationship. I enjoy stories like that.

I also loved the sex scenes. I mean, holy F-balls, some of those scenes will stick with me, that's for sure. I like a toppy top, one that is demanding, yet sweet and Rylan totally delivers. I loved the chemistry, the heat between these two guys. *fans self*

The guy friends and Niles' family were also pretty perfect. I love a straight boy who has no problem with his best friends being gay and showing affection to each other.

But then come my issues...

I have a big pet peeve with communication fails and this book was like one giant communication misstep. However, I was able to overlook most of that because I remember being shy and young and in love once. What I couldn't overlook was what an insecure, needy, self-involved character Niles was. I feel like Rylan had to put in 90% of the effort and Niles just kind of turned introverted and broody all the time. Something about him just irritated me a bit, and I never was 100% on board with him.

I also couldn't stand Niles' friend Shona, who I thought was waaayyy too nosy and into Niles' business. I am personally very private about my own relationships and I would HATE a friend to insert his or her opinion all the time. She rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like she was trying to be Niles' mom or something.

My last comment was that though this book was hot and sweet, it was also pretty standard BDSM fare. I enjoyed it but it didn't wow me like I had expected it to. Though the ending was lovely (I'm a sucker for young love), looking back on their story a few days later, I don't feel any strong emotions about it either way. I think for me, it was a solid "like" but nothing more.

*Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Emma Sea · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Review is of original free online version**

not really a spoiler I far prefer the original free version. I rec you read that one, not the published, edited version. And then if you like it I rec you pay for the published, edited version in appreciation, and just never read it.

Fucking fantastic. Fabulous characterisation: a sense of a window into a real, developing, difficult, fantastic relationship. I want every person in that story to be real.

[Camy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ETA: This review is of the original online fic posted by orbiting jupiter, (Anne's pseudonym), not the published version.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Loved this :-)

This author's blurbs make me pass over her books for long periods and then I get around to reading them and they're a revelation. I loved this for several reasons. A few of them:

* The natural, organic Dom/sub scene. I hate the dungeon and the clinical interactions, and the contract and all that organised artifice that just drains all chemistry and emotion and passion from the sex and the people and the relationship. But those are my predilections talking. Others may have personal preferences for the programmed scene. Just not me. And not this book. The D/s here is completely instinctive, natural and real. Yes!

* This, primarily, is very character-driven. Since I always prefer character over plot this works wonderfully for me.

* The moment of realisation of: I like what I like, forget the friends (namely interfering Shona) who don't understand. I get concern but I hate friends being part of a couple, hoisting their personal issues and their externalised views unto those in the relationship. I realise that treads a fine line, but I'm not talking about abusive situations here. I'm referencing non kink-friendly people and others as such.

* The sex :-)

* Rylan's understanding, explanations, patience, care, and loving dominance.

* Rylan's speech at the end! Oh! This alone is worth an extra star.


Beware though, there is a crazy amount of typos...but I was able to overlook this for several reasons.

[Moony Eliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is going to stick with me. I kind of already want to read it again. It pushed my buttons and challenged my rules.

The failure-to-communicate trope generally makes my brain boil. I cannot stand it when major angst is created from misunderstandings that should have been easily resolved in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee. It feels like manipulative and lazy writing — just the easiest way to create tension.

That’s not what this was.

Yes, there was trouble stemming from lack of communication, but there was a specific (flawed character) reason for it. It wasn’t just pride getting in the way or a convenient plot tactic. Niles had real self-doubt and anxiety that prevented him from directly (and verbally) tackling his issues. It was due to age and emotional maturity, but that didn’t make it not real.

Since the relationship began when they were 16, it came with the understandable insecurities that would result from beginning your first relationship + gay + kink at that time. I completely bought the struggle and was totally rooting for them to find their way through it.

I wouldn’t want to read this flavor of angst every day, but in light of the more mature M/M I usually read, this struck a different chord in a good way. The author executed it exceptionally well.

The kink really landed for me too. It didn’t feel like your standard d/s thing... but I’m not sure if I can explain exactly why not. It’s just who they were to each other, what they needed from each other — labels were unnecessary and thoroughly beside the point. I loved the whole dynamic of their relationship, the chemistry, the history, the trust, all of it. The characters came alive and I was fully invested in them.

Highly recommend!

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember when you were a kid and you went to your grandma’s house and maybe you hadn’t seen your grandma in a long time and she would hug the bejesus out of you and kiss you all over your head/face until you wanted to say, ‘Awwww grandma, C’mon!’?

Remember that?

I was the grandma in this little scenario. I wanted to squeeze the stuffing out of my kindle more than once but that would’ve been counterproductive.

I’m going to make a concerted effort not to type your face off. I know I can get a little… wordy. Periodically. In short, LOVED IT. I’D TOTES READ IT AGAIN. YOU SHOULD SO READ IT! LIKE NOW.

Niles/Nigh is a fantastically quirky, weirdly insecure, obsessive and neurotic character. He’s adorbs and will fit nicely in my pocket. I’ve already made room for him. It niggled me a bit that he’s cast as such a people pleaser that he’s afraid to use his voice considering he and Rylan/Ry are in a BDSM relationship. BUT he’s 19. I may be chalking too much up to his age, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Ry is quite a talented little sadist. I gotta say. He’s a kinky, dirty talking little bastard who sets Nigh on fire AND baffles him. I did think it was somewhat odd that they’ve been in a relationship for three years and have never defined their relationship. The time/lack of communication does get addressed but… THREE YEARS!!!!! I’ll throw in money to the take-some-initiative fund, boys. Damn.

The entire first half of It’s Like This is Nigh obsessing about their relationship because they never talk about their relationship, and he’s concocted all these farfetched ideas that are making him crazy. I was this close to going into my kindle to facilitate the ‘Come to Jesus’ meeting. They avoided it by the narrowest of margins. After the pow wow it is painstakingly obvious just how good Ry is for Nigh. He’s patient and persistent and for a 19 year old he’s quite insightful and perceptive.

I know people will be put off by the writing style (first person present). You know what I have to say to them? Your loss. Others will be put off by the kink and they probably have a case. I thought it was ridiculously hot and the trust Nigh has for Ry is clear as day. Plus… the begging. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph… the begging. I’m sure their play has evolved over three years; I’d be willing to bet they didn’t jump into the deep end. They are each other’s first everything, Ry is quite observant on top of his other qualities and in three years he’s made one quasi mistake. Maybe I’m rationalizing but I didn’t think it was anywhere near dub-con. I thought their power dynamics were a perfect fit for them.

Even the secondary characters added to the appeal of this book. The little sister, Kya, is hilarious. The best friend, Shona, is the catalyst oftentimes. I’m kind of a sucker for the ‘you make your family’ thing and Ry certainly needs it because his parents level of suckitude is sky high.

As an aside, it does sort of niggle that apparently this was pulled to publish fan original fic, though not enough to lower my rating.

I totally loved It’s Like This and it’s now safely ensconced on my favorites shelf. I’ll definitely reread it. If you decide to give it a whirl, I hope you love it as much as I.

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a little gem of a coming of age, burgeoning kinkster story.

Niles is adorable, a total idiot at communicating, but ADORBS. Usually, that trait drives me nuts and I want to hammer it down, but here it made sense--went on a bit long, but the entire genesis was believable. I mean there are two parties in this stupid silence.

Rylan...Rylan, Rylan. Geez, dude. I get you and you are awesome, but --*restrains self from attempting to strangle fictional character*--not the best strategy.

There are some great secondary characters in this story and some very touching moments. Quite emotional without being overly manipulative. Now, Rylan and Niles--freaking hot and a bit scary at times. The two are like...Shazam! At first, your going to be confused and maybe pissed, but stay the course. Trust me. Some complain about the end, but I think it is the perfect closure for one of the characters.

Favorite quote:

I most definitely do NOT want it to go away, or stop, or change in any way...with the exception of me knowing what the fuck is going on.

**NOTE 7/25/2014: This review is based on the original unpublished work. I have not yet read the REVISED and published version.

[Rosa, really · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's like this...Niles needs to learn how to communicate with his boyfriend, Rylan.

It's like this...seriously, he has, like, a pathological fear of opening his mouth. Well, except sexually.

It's like this...I bookmarked all the sex scenes. Breath play is looking more and more interesting.



It's like this...the rest of it was really good as well.

It's like this...I wanna read it again!

It's like this...YOU SHOULD READ IT TOO.

4.5 stars

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

”Cum, sweat, spit, blood on the bedsheets. And I don’t care. This power, this intensity, this enormity. This is how I want to be wanted.”

So here I am swooning all over Orbiting Jupiter again. I feel an “over the moon” comment coming on, but I’ll try to control myself and spare you. :D

It’s Like This introduces us to another adorable couple with power, intimacy, and heat. Two guys that swept right in and stole my heart. Hell, they somehow had my heart in the palm of their hands at page one! Niles and Rylan have been together for three years. Friends that turned into something hot, something more…maybe. See Niles and Rylan do not communicate. They hang out, touch, laugh, and talk-- of course—but they stay clear of the big issues and questions. How they feel about each other. What they are doing. Where their relationship is going. Any and all things that involve the big powerhouse emotions pretty much. So what makes their heart thump and skip? And could this be love?

This next comment sounds awful, but I mean it in the best possible way. In a few months, I might not remember these characters by name. Names often fade from my memory. BUT I know I will never forget the emotions Ms. Jupiter brought to the page. The uncertainty and tension of not talking is explained, displayed, and felt in all it’s frustrating glory here with Niles and Rylan! I have stumbled across authors and stories that showcased the heartache of couples not communicating when things blow up and break down in a relationship. But Jupiter writes about an entirely different kind of silence in this story. One I recognize in my own life. My family lives and dies by the—“Ignore it. It will go away or figure itself out.” motto. Btw….It doesn’t. I have never seen this emotion, unease, confusion, and hole in your heart so clearly expressed and dealt with in fiction with such young characters before. Never! It means a lot to me to have found it. If you can’t find the words, if you don’t know what questions to even ask—how do you TALK about your needs, desires, sex and love?

Patience. With lots and lots of patience, control and love.

“I want to explain. I need to tell him. But I don’t know what I need to tell him, I can’t remember what’s the truth. If I’m the one that loves him or he’s the one that loves me and who’s been keeping what a secret all this time. I can’t keep track of all the shit we don’t tell each other.”

Niles and Rylan are sweet, beautiful and sexy together. A relationship with such heart-swelling intimacy and one hell of a HOT sub/dom layer. The way Rylan and Niles moved and loved on the page was something special to see. Ms. Jupiter can capture the closeness of a couple like no one else! They feel…*deep sigh* so close to my heart.

I hope you meet Orbiting Jupiter soon. Her work holds a special spot in my heart for the energy and emotion in her words, banter, and characters. She pushes and inspires me to keep searching for the words in my own heart to say and ask for what I need in life and love.

Highly recommended.

This is one of my favorite quotes….

“Mouth to neck, chest to back, palm to hip and, brilliantly, words to skin.”

Words to skin! I love that!


Ah, hell….one more:

”I remember the first day my mom referred to Rylan as my boyfriend I was so startled that I think I almost passed out or something. I mean, I guess I just had always assumed that I had kept them kind of separate, like, I tried not to be “gay” in front of my parents.”

Hehe….Oh, Niles. You are so cute.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS IS REVIEW OF THE FREE VERSION NOT THE PUBLISHED/POLISHED ONE

Wow, what a treat!!

At first, I'm really uncomfortable with the nature Niles and Rylan's relationship. I feel like Shona (Niles's best friend), worry that the relationship is abusive and Niles doesn't have the right state of mind when it comes to Rylan, to say "no" or "stop". Especially after the scene of erotic asphyxiation and the Condom Incident.

... and this is where I applaud the author for pacing the story just right. So when Niles and Rylan finally talk, when they finally say the things they really need to work out in the beginning, I can accept the explanation. See, the key here is to communicate, boys!! Sure, the relationship is challenging and unconventional, but I think Nyles and Rylan will work things out just fine -- and Nyles will no longer feel insecure about it. Or not ... he's such a worry wart after all *grin*.

Written solely from Niles's point of view, I find his voice refreshing neurotic. I am in love with all the characters by the time the story ends. I know the ending is probably a bit too much -- in a fluffy/sappy kind of way (with the marriage proposal and all, I mean, they're just 19!) -- but at the same time, Rylan says the right words, and I can't help but agreeing to Niles's reaction.

Such a engaging story. And it's FREE!

Content warning: crude language, light bondage, light D/s

[Irina Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

EDIT 5 minutes later - I'm always undecided, but when I decide, I'm quick
Fuck it. 4 stars. I liked it - a lot. Doesn't need to be perfect for me to really like something.

I'm undecided between 4 and 3.
3.68ish... Whatever.

So the thing is: I was expecting lots of delicious, painful angst, and I got it. For the first 25%. Then it just kind of fizzled out and this story turned into a fluffy established couple story with a couple of issues here and there that were solved in one chapter each - that's 8 to 10 pages in epub format, which is really not much.

The D/s part of Niles and Rylan's relationship felt natural and not at all contrived, but still not quite right.
My first issue is that I don't really get it - which would be okay, if Niles did. But he doesn't either. I'm not saying that I wanted some big, deep analysis of his desire to submit, but I expected to get a bit of an explanation - and I wanted him to stop saying that it's not normal. Like Rylan said, he's gay and a sub; obviously that's not conventional, but why is that a problem? Why won't he accept it?
I'm the complicator and he's the resolver. That's how it works. Or at least how it is. I take one last, long drag before stubbing the [cigarette] out and dropping it next to the previous two butts. Because he told me to. Or because he was going to. Because he gives orders and I obey them. And the fucked part is, I couldn't function any other way.
And here is the second reason why this aspect of their relationship didn't quite work for me. In the beginning, the D/s aspect is applied strictly only in the bedroom; the rest of the time Rylan and Niles are more like very affectionate friends. Their relationship develops after the talk, and they become officially a couple. Good! Their relationship develops in the bedroom too, becoming more extreme with a spanking, breath play and the like. Good too! The rest of the time, they are still very much equals. That means no, Rylan does not tell Niles what to do. He may give advice, comfort and protect, but theirs is in no way a "full time" D/s relationship. So what Niles is saying in that quote is simply not true.
I don't get it.

As usual, I'm ranting, and that might give the impression that I didn't really like this story. I did! Niles and Rylan, if we ignore their names, are incredibly likable characters. Niles is a chronic worrier to the point of being neurotic, while Rylan is original, confident and more light-hearted. He almost feels like two different people, thanks to Niles's narration, and I like how his perception of him changes after they start to communicate more; from the mysterious, independent, dominant Rylan to an actual partner to love and be loved by.
Niles's family is well developed and very present all throughout the story. Kya, Niles's nine year old sister, broke my heart. Not only because of what happened to her, but also because of her relationship with Cole and the way it ended - had to end.
I would have liked to see more of Niles and Rylan's friends, but most of the time they spent with them, which wasn't really that much, was off-page. I also felt robbed of a couple of scenes that I really would have liked to see: the "normal" sex night and the evening they spent with Rylan's dad. These were just glossed over and not even mentioned later on.
What I did get to see and enjoyed enormously, though, was Rylan's proposal at the end, which cemented my already pretty convinced liking for him.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable story which I would definitely recommend; it was just a bit too superficial for my liking.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Published Version:



It hurts to say this, but I very much prefer the original unpublished version of this book. I wish I could say the changes were an improvement, but unfortunately they "fixed" something that wasn't broken. This went from being a unique, lovely story about two young adults figuring out their kinky relationship to one of the same old BDSM books that are a dime a dozen. It's kind of crazy how the addition of a few words and sentences here and there can change the dynamic so much.

The first thing I noticed was the ridiculous number of times Rylan called Niles baby. I was sure I would have noticed this the first time around, as excessive use of endearments are a pet peeve of mine. I compared to the original, and found that it went from four instances to sixteen, and at one point he called him sweetness, which didn't happen in the original. I don't understand why this was done, and it was just a major turn-off for me. At least this didn't happen until Part II, so Part I was still incredibly hot!

The next difference I found was Rylan calling Niles good boy, dirty boy and *cringe* baby boy. It was just too much and didn't fit with the Rylan and Niles that I knew. Niles also underwent a personality change by becoming desperate for approval, worried about doing his best to "be good" for Rylan. He was edging dangerously close to the type of begging puppy dog sub I cannot stand. Here's an example of how a couple sentences could change him so much:

Original: "Please. Rylan. Please. Fuck me."

Published: "Please, Rylan. Please fuck me, please. I'll be so good for you, I'll make you feel so good. Please just fuck me."

Lastly, in regards to the D/s stuff, I think the author must have felt pressured to tame it down and introduce formalized BDSM concepts so as not to offend people. It felt less raw and real to me, and changed the nature of their relationship. This demonstrates what I consider the advantage of freefic, because the authors aren't constrained by the boundaries of what is deemed acceptable. Maybe most people would prefer the published version, but in my eyes, it lost something special.

Overall, I'd have to give this edition 3 stars, but I'm leaving the 5 star rating because it was well deserved for the original. Most of my issues with it were in Part II, so at least Part I was still amazingly good. I'm glad I spent the money on the published book because the author earned it with the first story I read and loved. However, I'm just going to remove the new version from my kindle and pretend I never read it!

Original Review of Unpublished Story:

I just love this story. Niles is so endearingly unsure of everything, and Rylan is the perfect blend of sweet and sexy! I LOVE the writing style, and the sex is amazing. I was constantly smiling and laughing throughout the story. It was such a fun read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Highly recommend.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story makes me wonder why I spend, like, a quarter of my salary on books when awesome stuff like this is available for free. I do wish it was longer, though.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is said that no man is an island. In Niles’ case, that is bullshit. He’s clueless, seriously clueless, and while they should have driven me nutters, the way the author portrays his cluelessness is incredibly endearing. That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to smack him upside the head repeatedly and yell, “For fucks sake SAY something already.” But that isn’t how Niles operates and I really appreciated how his personality evolved and he did improve, but he didn’t change so much that he became a different character. He didn’t lose all his neuroses, but he did start overcoming them and that is way more believable than some alpha dude who can’t admit his feelings because of testosterone blockage and then a magic penis gives him the gift of romance-speak and all of a sudden he’s spouting flowery prose and undying declarations of love.

When a quiet man overcomes his fears of opening himself up and making himself vulnerable, the words he does say have so much more impact. There were so many instances that I highlighted because his phrasing was just perfect.


“ . . . I’m pretty sure over-analyzing stuff never got anyone anywhere they wanted to go.”


“We converse as friends, and then we fuck like something more, but we don’t mix the two. Not ever.”


“My heart rate tells me this freaks me out, but my erection tells me this turns me on . . . “


“I love the me he brings to the surface.”


“I needlessly complicate shit and he resolves it and that is how we work.”


So, Niles is confused and he literally has no clue how to communicate effectively. I could feel his fears and empathize with him and he would “force myself not to fall into another shame spiral”. He knew he was being irrational, but that is just how he’s wired. He and Rylan have been together, maybe, possibly, for three years but he doesn’t know where they stand in the short term, the long term or any term in between. He’s so obviously in love with Rylan and so obviously afraid to ruin the status quo he does nothing but stew in his own brain.

Rylan was a bit of a mystery at first and I liked how his character was introduced somewhat piecemeal but then how his character became fully realized through Niles’ eyes. As Niles opens up, more of Rylan is revealed and the evolution of Niles completes Rylan’s character. There is so much more to him than even what Niles knows and damn, but these two are perfect for each other. Their kinks complement each other perfectly. Like, really, really perfectly. Rylan isn’t without his hurts and fears and as Niles finally begins pulling his head out of his ass and seeing, really seeing the people around him he’s able to be the man that Rylan needs too.

It’s a damn good thing these two burgeoning kinksters found one another and love each other so much. If Niles were to go and try and get his needs fulfilled elsewhere it could be a disaster of epic proportions. The stories we love so much about the perfect Dom coming along and taking the inexperienced and naïve sub under his wing are, I’m pretty sure, a crock of crap. Niles would more likely than not get himself into a world of hurt. Either that or he’d live a completely unfulfilled life and become a bitter and regretful old man. Either would be a tragedy and a waste, so Rylan is his world and as the story evolves we learn the sentiment flows both ways. Not that these two didn’t take some crazy chances, it was never with any harmful intentions or without some forethought. Even if said forethought was one sided and a complete mystery to the other side. They’re young and inexperienced, they don’t communicate, they are dumbass boys playing grown up games. But, they learned, slowly but surely they learned and found their balance.

Even before the “talking” it was obvious the feelings they shared were real and it made their sexual adventures incredibly hot and because of some of the dumbassery, incredibly nerve wracking. That made it read “real” though and the author captured that equilibrium so well.

These guys are sweet, witty as hell and have kinky streaks a mile long and I loved them both to pieces. One thing I would like the author to consider is a follow up story for them. Maybe? Possibly? Huh? Huh? They have a LOT of exciting changes coming soon and I would LOVE to read them. I really can’t get enough of Niles’ manic voice and Rylan’s calming presence.

[ancientreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY GOD TALK ABOUT A TERRIBLE BOOK COVER. Don't look, just don't look, seriously do not look, just check out the sample and either grab this book from KU or maybe buy it, I don't know.

Why yes, I did love it.

Niles (MC1) and Rylan (MC2) have been lovers since they were sixteen; their sexual relationship is very very undernegotiated BDSM, Rylan being the top/dom/sadist. Niles, whose POV we're in throughout, is madly in love with Rylan but isn't sure of his place in Rylan's life -- how much does Rylan care for him? are they exclusive? and, especially after Rylan does something colossally stupid, is Rylan Niles's dom or his abuser? Quite early in the book, these issues tear the two of them apart, and from there on the story is about a family crisis that brings Rylan back into Niles's life and how he shows his mettle + they begin to acknowledge their miscommunications and mistakes.

So on one level this is the usual failure-to-communicate story. And okay, I have to stretch a little to believe in partners this young staying together for so long and also developing a fairly intense BDSM relationship. But oh, these two characters. Both of them so full of heart and fucking up and trying again and getting it more right every time. I felt so tender toward them. And Niles's kid sister. And the whole family story. And the fact that Niles and Ry are still in their teens and seem to have stumbled into the kind of sex they have makes the lack of communication much more believable than it is between grown-ass romance protagonists.

Maybe I'll ding a quarter of a star for the captive cetaceans. But oh, this was a lovely book.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

I almost ate this book. It was THAT delicious. A little bit of taboo, a little bit of kink, lots and lots of sexy hotness.

Not a book with a destination but that doesn't matter when it's the characters that drive the story.

Nicely done, but the ending wasn't to my liking - but that's just me - not a fan of those too sappy endings. I'd have liked a bit more bite, if you know what I mean;)

[Lisa Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was totally not going to get suckered into reading anything today, and then this started showing up in my feed. Well, I thought, I'll just read a chapter and see how it goes.

Famous last words.

Loved it, and couldn't stop until I was finished. The sex was hot, and, unlike in a lot of free online stuff, there was a shitload of character development. I loved Niles, and his reasonable insecurities about the status of his relationship with Rylan. At the beginning I wasn't sure if I liked Rylan too much -- I has the same concerns as Niles did -- but Niles was a bit of an unreliable narrator in that respect. Hell, even his own family knew how much Rylan loved him. But there was just the right balance of angst here and it wasn't drawn out. When Niles finally got the courage up to ask what Rylan thought about their relationship, Rylan told him.

For that reason, I loved the condom scene. Okay, so both boys were stupid for not using condoms before they'd figured out if they were exclusive. Niles, finally realising this, turns up at Rylan's place with a condom. Rylan sees it and tells him to get the fuck out. Niles was gutted, but that's when it fell into place for me: Rylan's exclusive and always had been. Niles just doesn't know it.

Usually precocious kids annoy the hell out of me. Too much cuteness gets me right in the gag reflex. There was a prime contender for that in this story: Niles' nine year old sister Kya. But she was all kinds of awesome. Tough as nails, and smart as hell when she was diagnosed with cancer and lost an eye. She was also sweet and wonderful.

Which brings me to the rest of Niles' family: his parents and teenage sister Matilda. All families should be like this. Seriously. I loved that Niles never came out to them, but they've adopted Rylan as a second son. And I loved that Niles almost freaked out when his mother referred to Rylan as his boyfriend. Too much awesome, when so often m/m fiction is reliant on the homophobe parents to ramp up the angst.

We don't know that Rylan's dad is a total homophobic asshole. Maybe he's not, really, but Rylan doesn't want to come out to him. Their relationship is precarious enough without throwing that in the mix. And I liked that Niles got this. Yep, another chance for some cheap angst smartly bypassed. And Rylan's mother -- wow. How nice (you know, not nice, but refreshing?) to see no quick fixes there. And the flashbacks to those moments of teenage humiliation. You know the ones. Where you suddenly realise that your friend's family situation is really fucking awful, but you all ignore it because that's what kids do to protect their friends. That really struck a chord with me.

I loved the guys' friends as well. They were all doing their best to be cool and grownup about Niles and Rylan, but there were some sweet, awkward straight boy blushes.

The only thing that drops this for me was the ending, and it's totally my personal opinion. I didn't need the big declaration of love and commitment at the end. I could certainly appreciate why it's there, but I didn't feel it.

This book was great, and better than a lot of the published stuff out there. You should check it out.

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of the book is 5 stars material. It had me waxing lyrical. The author was able to convey complex emotions with deceptive simplicity.



In Silence...

...Shrouded
Locked
Safe
Hoping
Going to pieces
Cocooned
Denial
Silence reigns supreme

No talking with words but Rylan sure did talk with actions. He walked the talk. Niles of course was totally clueless. I like how this was shown and the character built ups and dynamics. Usually BDSM leaves me a bit baffled, but not this time, this time I was not uncomfortable with it.

The story peaked around the half way mark for me and after that the second half seemed like a long epilogue. This must probably be attributed to the sort of writing (on line) this was. Taking into consideration this, Ms O'Gleadra (Orbiting Jupiter) is one heck of a writer and I wonder at the wonders she would do with the back up of a good editor.

Have to look up more of her works for sure.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good kinky m/m romance about two guys who've been together for three years, since high school, but they've never talked about whether they're actually in a relationship. I could definitely relate to Niles' communication issues...

[S.R. Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick, intense read.

I liked Rylan and Niles, they were definitely in love and that was obvious once they started talking instead of all the sex. I was a little shocked by how intense they were with the BDSM considering they were only 19 years old.

They were definitely obsessed with each other, but not in a toxic kind of way.

Very entertaining.

[Lo-Lo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm tempted to bolster my bookreads for 2014 BUT I won't - I have just re-read this and, my god, is it review-worthy...

The great thing about my dear GR friend, Lo-La, is that she (almost always :p) has spectular taste in books/stories/fics. There are some that are rather more questionable but I'll let those slide... So, after her recent reference to this, I re-read this and yes, Orbiting Jupiter, you certainly do have it.

What makes this so utterly charming is the dynamic between the two MCs: on the one hand their youthful innocence or idiocy and on the other, the complete lack of melodrama around their budding GAY relationship. I say budding, but let's be honest - it has been 3 rather intense and confusing years for Niles and Rylan... I've read so many angst-driven and purely over-the-top depictions of adolescents coming out that it is rather refreshing to see something reflect my own personal experience; something far more relatable than the manipulations of authors stabbing you in the eyes with each angst-laden sentence they write.

No thanks. Not my thing.

And yet this isn't angst-free by any stretch of the imagination but it successfully conveys emotion in steady, realistic bouts whilst wrapped around some rather hot, sexy scenes between our two favourite characters. Plotless, it is not. Well, not entirely :-)

So. Why 4 stars and not 5? It's not often I say this (there I am always complaining that Voinov novellas are too teasingly short...) but there was a far more natural ending point which I would have preferred...

Anyhoo. Loved it then, love it now. Hoorah for Orbiting Jupiter!

[Bekka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread and still in love with these dingdongs

—-

4.25 and a definite re-read and a big plus for normalizing legitimate love in youth! Why shouldn’t teenagers be able to love big :)

This ticked a lot of my boxes:
- obsessive/possessive
- best friends
- obliviousness
- not an unnecessary prolonging of not communicating when they finally did :D
- d/s dynamics (albeit not within safe BDSM practice guidelines)
- families that aren’t afterthoughts but legitimate characters helping you understand your MCs

And you could say the epilogue is too much but I loved it because it was so honest and reflective of how far they’ve already come and how far they will go swoon

Also s/o to the real MVR(elationship) of this book: Kya and Rylan! If my best/boyfriend loved my sister so perfectly I wouldn’t be able to not love him either!

This power, this intensity, this enormity: this is how I want to be wanted (Loc 2160, 2014 Kindle Edition)

NSFW infos:
One gay guy, one unsure guy
Slimmer Dom (not exclusively top but even then “topping from the bottom”)
Larger Sub
impact play
Blood play
Breath play
Bondage
Humiliation Kink

[Steelwhisper · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5* rounded up.

I don't get the fascination with juveniles having gay sex. I mean, I'm simply not interested if that is all the plot there is. I don't understand why it should benefit me reading about (not very mature at that) teenagers having it on. Maybe it might have interested me when I was that age, but now? No. Not if that is all there is.

I think that with that insight I now know why a lot of much hyped stories fall completely flat for me. I'm puzzled even, because I can't understand the fascination this has for other readers either.

So, shrugging here, not for me. Give me people my own age to read about, or give me plot and a mixed set.

ETA:

Seeing this called "natural D/s" by reviewers gave me a start. It's actually dub-con/non-con and a borderline abusive/toxic relationship, so once again I wonder whether people are feeding their own kink or having a problem with the basic model of consent. This sort of reaction always puzzles me no end, especially as the exercise is so easy: just imagine it happening to you.

[Valerie ❈M/M Romance Junkie❈ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't even know where to begin. I did not like this at all. I hated Niles. He's whiny and insecure. He's been monogamous for three years to a guy that he isn't even sure he's in a relationship with!! WTF? Yet, he's too scared to actually talk to the guy about it? What? You just roll along for three years waiting to see if the guy brings it up? No doormat. That is not what you do. I didn't like his BFF Shona. She's too much in his business. He gives her one side of the story then allows whatever vitriol that she spews to cause him even more anxiety about his non-relationship/relationship status. I just wanted to lock Niles in a room with Rylan and say that he couldn't come out until he fricken TALKED to the man!! Sheesh! You don't really get to know Rylan other than he likes to run things in the bedroom. I just don't see the appeal of this book at all.

[Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable well-written online m/m read. Told in the first person from Niles' pov. 19 year olds Niles and Rylan have been together for over three years but never speak about their relationship. Niles doesn't even know if it is a relationship?

'I want to explain. I need to tell him. But I don't know what I need to tell him, I can't remember what's the truth. If I'm the one that loves him or he's the one that loves me and who's keeping what a secret all this time. I can't keep track of all the shit we don't tell each other.'

[Angelica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the novelty of the concept of a three year relationship not being acknowledged by the two mcs (never mind that it was obvious to everubody else), and the realism in its characters.  The narrator's insecurities and inner dialogue were surprisingly adequate to his age and circumstances.  And when I as a reader  had access to Rylan's feelings  it all made complete sense.  Even the kinkiness in the relationship was developed with credibility.  Awesome read!

[Jenny (Nyxie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tags: Great book terrible cover, under-negotiated kink, teenagers (MCs are 19 during the book), intense sadist / masochist scenes, oblivious idiots, absolute dingdongs who can’t communicate, but I love them anyways

This book was lovely. The self deprecating humor was awesome. The absolute obliviousness of the MC’s was done so well - the MC knows what’s wrong, and that it isn’t working, but just can’t figure out how to fix it. I can relate so much to that feeling of being stuck. The MC’s are just so in love with each other and care so much for each other. So sweet. Loved this book.

[Karen Wellsbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one of my books of the year.

Niles and Rylan have been together for three years, yet Niles doesn’t know if they’re a couple, or even how Rylan feels about him. They are young, but it seems that everyone knows about them, without being told outright.
Niles talks to hid friend Shona about Rylan, Rylan doesn’t feel the need to talk to anyone it appears.

One evening they go out, Rylan dances with a girl in a club, Niles take Shona’s advice, and everything changes. Rylan kicks Niles out of his flat and Niles goes home to his parents.
Niles is the eldest of three children, from a happy and secure home but his youngest sister Kya becomes ill, and via Kya’s illness Niles and Rylan become reunited.

While there is some BDSM here, it’s very consensual, and actually loving.

This was originally serialized free on line, and part of me wishes that I had read it like that. The treat of reading a new chapter is a real gift to a reader, and a great way to develop a story. However, I didn’t but I did read it straight through – and it’s one of my books of the year without a shadow of a doubt.

I got married young, and apart from out first date, which I instigated, I don’t think we ever dated. We moved in together, got married then five years later had a child, we negotiated families and friends, many of who thought we were too young and had rushed into things. We certainly didn’t discuss our feelings, or sex initially as it didn’t come naturally, but we worked at it and out relationship got better and better.

Part of the reason that this book moved me so much is that it reminded me of being first married, the doubts and reluctance to open up. But it was also beautiful, raw and powerful. The relationship between Niles and Rylan was about the most realistic emotionally that I have read in a long while, and Niles’ family were amazing, even the traditional sassy best friend was likeable, trying to protect and push Niles at the same time.

As Niles and Rylan develop emotionally they do so sexually as well, and again this was so well done and affecting.

A wonderful moving book that will stay with me for a long time.

[Ravyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable free fic, centering around two guys who seriously need to sit down and talk about their "relationship." As the story begins, Rylan and Niles are 19 years old, best friends, and have been sexing it up for the past 3 years. The sex is kinky, and getting kinkier. However, the boys have never had an actual conversation about it, which ultimately leads to some serious confusion, insecurity, and miscommunication (mostly on Niles' side of things).

Niles is the sub of the duo, and is a bit of a neurotic-worrier. He's scared to bring up his insecurities, doesn't know how to initiate a conversation with Rylan, and manages to bumble things when he makes an attempt. Rylan, on the other hand, is totally in charge and much more secure with himself. Rylan is a good guy, loves Niles and Niles' family, and just needs to make sure that Niles knows it. Not to fear though, the boys eventually figure things out and come to realize that an "unusual" relationship can definitely be a "good" relationship.

Overall, a really nice fic about two guys just trying to figure things out. The story meanders a bit, almost like snapshots or episodes in the lives of Rylan and Niles, but it works. Some typos here and there, but nothing major. There are also some good side plotlines and interactions with Niles' family (who are great) and Rylan's family (who are not great), which I really enjoyed. Oh, and if you are worried about the BDSM component, it's really not too intense or overwhelming.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usually I'm not a fan of the books where the plot revolves around an epic failure in communication, but this one was awesome. So many feelings and emotions packed into 200 pages! I just couldn't put it down.